NFL Jacksonville Jaguars

Jacksonville Jaguars More Than One-Hit Wonders?

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By @MWCompton

Blake Bortles Jaguars

Rick Dole-USA Today Sports

With their initial win of the season in the books, the Jacksonville Jaguars now must prove they are more than one-hit wonders.

To accomplish that at EverBank Field on Sunday against the Miami Dolphins and pull off a second consecutive upset, the Jaguars will need another big day from their new-found running game, fewer mistakes from rookie quarterback Blake Bortles, and another stout effort from the defense, which is without two of its key cogs in linebacker Paul Posluszny and defensive end Andre Branch.

The Dolphins won’t be an easy out, and the Jaguars haven’t defeated their in-state rivals since 2006, but the rare opportunity of notching back-to-back wins is a challenge Jacksonville must meet head-on.

The Jaguars’ missing-in-action running game emerged last week with former quarterback-turned-running back Denard Robinson having a career-best day in the Week 7 win over the Cleveland Browns. The slippery Robinson sliced and diced his way to 127 yards on 22 carries. Rookie running back Storm Johnson even added a late-game touchdown to seal the victory.

With Toby Gerhart hobbled through the first seven games, Robinson has moved to the top of the depth chart in the backfield. He is making the most of the opportunity, and that appears to be a big positive for the Jaguars. Robinson, who is still learning the nuances of the position, isn’t afraid to run up the gut of the defense, and he also possesses the speed to get to the outside.

Bortles had one of his worst outings in last week’s win, but made plays when he needed to, including a touchdown strike to fellow rookie Allen Robinson. Bortles continues to adjust to the speed of the game in his first season as a pro and consequently forces some throws, which results in more than his share of turnovers.He has just five touchdown passes to 10 interceptions, but he does have a knack for making plays in the clutch and will become more efficient over time.

The Jaguars’ initial win came at a huge cost with both Posluszny and Branch going down, but defensive coordinator Bob Babich has the Jaguars’ D playing at a high level. Led by Sen’Derrick Marks, the defensive line has harassed opposing quarterbacks in recent weeks and will need to bring the same intensity and execution to slow Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who is mobile and is coming off a strong outing in last week’s road win over the Chicago Bears.

The Jaguars have not won back-to-back games in October since 2010 and are a young team in need of experience. Head coach Gus Bradley said in the heat of battle against the Browns, “Something good is always about to happen.” Good teams have that mentality. Good teams also have winning streaks.

Michael Compton is a Jacksonville Jaguars writer for RantSports. Follow him on Twitter at @MWCompton and connect with him on Google.

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